The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra presents The World of Smetana

1/9/2017

Kalamazoo, MI January 9, 2017 - The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra presents The World of Smetana, an interactive and immersive concert experience exploring the life and music of Bedřich Smetana.

This will be the final concert in the World Of series for the KSO, as the creator and conductor of these concerts – Maestro Raymond Harvey – will retire as Music Director after this season. His unique style of engaging audiences through compelling music, inspired dialogue and humor, along with meaningful stage craft, has made these concerts beloved by so many.Learn about one of the greatest Czech composers while hearing excerpts from his opera The Bartered Bride, String Quartet No. 2, and his orchestral masterpiece Mà Vlast (My Fatherland).

ABOUT THE ARTISTSRaymond HarveyFor more than 35 years, Raymond Harvey has made a significant impact as an American conductor of great skill and insight. Born in New York City, he studied piano and conducting, receiving Bachelor's and Master's degrees in choral conducting from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music; and then studied orchestral conducting at the Yale School of Music, earning Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees.

This season Maestro Harvey celebrates 18 years as Music Director of the KalamazooSymphony Orchestra. He previously held the top post at the Fresno Philharmonic (California), Springfield Symphony (Massachusetts), and El Paso Opera (Texas).

Maestro Harvey has appeared as guest conductor with many of America’s leading orchestras, including those of Philadelphia, Atlanta, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Detroit, New Orleans and Minnesota, as well as the New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concerts and the Boston Pops. He has also had engagements with the Maggio Musicale Orchestra of Florence, Italy, the Pusan Symphony of South Korea, and the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica. He regularly performs as a pianist, both in chamber music and as pianist/conductor in works of Gershwin, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff.

In addition to his commitment to Kalamazoo, Dr. Harvey has been named an Associate Professor at the University of Houston, where he serves as Music Director of the Moores School of Music opera department. His operatic repertoire is extensive, including favorites such as Carmen, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème, Turandot, and Aïda; as well as the more rarely performed The Consul, The Rape of Lucretia, and Samson and Delilah.

The Kalamazoo community continues to embrace Raymond Harvey through appreciation of his compelling performances and engaging lectures.

CALENDAR LISTINGKalamazoo Symphony Orchestra presentsThe World of SeriesThe World of SmetanaRaymond Harvey, Conductor

The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra proudly presents The World of Smetana. Maestro Raymond Harvey will guide listeners through the life of Beřich Smetana; uncovering the influences and inspirations behind some of his best known and some relatively unknown works. Learn about one of the greatest Czech composers while hearing excerpts from his opera The Bartered Bride, String Quartet No. 2, and his orchestral masterpiece Mà Vlast (My Fatherland).

Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 3pmWMU’s Dalton Recital Hall

Tickets: $30Student and Veteran ticket discounts available

For tickets, visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com, call the KSO Box Office at (269) 349-7759 or call Miller Auditorium Ticket Office at (269) 387-2300.Visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com for up-to-date information, details and schedules. Prices, artists, dates, time and program are subject to change without notice.The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra receives major support from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra also receives generous support from other local, state and national foundations, as well as private and corporate support. For more information, visit www.kalamazoosymphony.com.

ABOUT THE KALAMAZOO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAFounded in 1921, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is Southwest Michigan’s premier musical organization, providing musical enrichment to over 80,000 adults and youth per year. The third-largest professional orchestra in the state, the KSO has won numerous awards and grants, including the Met Life Award for Arts Access in Underserved Communities, the National Endowment for the Arts for its extensive education programs, and a major Ford Foundation grant to found its innovative Artist-in-Residence program.